CollegeFashionista's exclusive features are RAD.
Get inspired by collaborations
with some of our favorite brand partners.
Read up on advice from fashion insiders, spotlights
on up-and-coming designers and more! see all the featured articles

Dear Isabel Marant: ladies around the world owe you a lot when it comes to throwback footwear. You have designed a shoe like no other. One that is elegant, comfortable and outside the box. One that makes us look tall, slim and not overdressed. And to think, it all started when you were a teenager cutting up cork and putting it into your sneaker for extra height. Now that’s what I call creativity!

You presented the world with the sneaker wedge.

Love it or hate it, the sneaker wedge is the athletic-inspired shoe that is sweeping the fashion nation. It is a statement piece in sports luxe style and gives any girl that model off duty look. It’s playing it cool and playing it chic. The sneaker has proven itself as a relaxed wardrobe staple. When designers, like Isabel Marant, started adding a heel, the shoe instantly became more glamorous. The slick sneaker wedge has been one of the biggest fashion phenomenons of the past year. The classic high-top form is blurred with a feminine function to create a standout sneaker shoe that distances itself from all other shoes that are currently on the market.

Wearing a beanie that she stole off her brother, this Fashionista’s style is where sports luxe meets grunge. It’s effortlessly cool and laid back. I mean, it’s pretty much the perfect outfit to wear to class in the last few weeks of the semester. It’s low maintenance with all the right detailing. The neutral colour-blocking combination of the grey Gap sweater layered over the simple white T-shirt from Bluenotes gives the look its causal vibe. When the leather biker jacket from Danier is thrown over top, the grunge edge is added. But the real standout feature of the entire outfit is the Chism sneaker wedges from ALDO.

Paired with leggings from Banana Republic, the monochromatic sneaker wedges are emphasized and give the look its spunky athletic flair. The platform sneaker proves itself difficult to wear (it’s quite a bulky shoe), but this Fashionista nails it. Don’t be afraid to wear the wedged sneaker with leather leggings, skinny jeans or, if you’re daring, dresses. The shoe becomes the centerpiece.

To add pops of colour, this Fashionista rocks bright orange nails and carries a sapphire blue bag from Zara. The size and square shape of the bag is pure elegance. On her fingers are rings, which are positioned beautifully might I add, from Beeline Jewelry for Old Navy, Versace and Tiffany & Co. The steel rings enhance the grunge of the look.

The old-school inspired kicks may be hated by many for their oversized look and daunting heel, but Fashionistas, don’t be afraid to partake in the sneaker wedge trend. Celebrities, like Miranda Kerr and Kate Bosworth, are rocking them so what’s stopping you from taking the plunge into Isabel Marant’s world?